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anneliese_32

Who eats my daffodils?

anneliese_32
15 years ago

Some critter is eating the blooms of my daffodils. The funny part is that the yellow daffs are not touched, only the white ones. They are all naturalized and white and yellow ones, all different kinds, grow side by side. I rule out deer, since we are surrounded by fences and neighbors have dogs which are out at night. I also have not seen deer tracks in about 20 years.

Comments (12)

  • stimpy926
    15 years ago

    Deer don't eat bulbs in the Amaryllis family, so it's most likely not them. I have critters of all sorts but have never had anything eat daff blooms. I don't have dogs though...is it a few, or all the blooms?

  • jeannie7
    15 years ago

    The bulb itself is toxic to many animals that might burrow or dig such bulb up but a flower I would think is a tasty item much like the leaves of the plant.
    Rabbits have no compunction against eating flowers, or how about a skunk, or squirrel, or might a cat chew on them.
    Some flowers are tasty in salads that us humans eat so I cant see an animal turning down what's free.

  • katob Z6ish, NE Pa
    15 years ago

    Not to be too cynical, but are the stems missing too? Animals will nibble the blooms but leave the stem..... two legged animals will take the bloom plus a nice long stem and bring them home for the kitchen table.

  • anneliese_32
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    The petals are chewed off to stubs, amything green is untouched and by this morning the last of the white daffs was chewed up and that one was surrounded by about 30 yellow ones. I don't think it's the squirrels, since my buddies are pretty tame and don't run off when I am outside. Think that I would have seen them nibbling. I am pretty sure it's a night critter. Oh well, let's see what happens next year.
    A few years back we had a starling who one day plugged all the yellow crocus blossoms and put them down next to the plants, the purple and white ones were not touched.

  • JohnnieB
    15 years ago

    I'm going to guess slugs. I've had slugs eat daffodil flowers in my garden, especially if the weather is wet and/or the stems are knocked down with the flowers touching the ground. If it's happening at night, that's another good clue.

  • daffodilgirl
    15 years ago

    I agree with what johnnieb says. I have several daffodil blooms that have been eaten by slugs. Mostly they just eat the blooms but sometimes they will damage the stalk too. I haven't had this problem in several years but this year has been a moister then usual. I bought some slug killer and it took care of the situation.

  • judijerpen
    15 years ago

    Why don't my daffodils produce any blooms? We live in z6aOH area (southeastern Ohio), clay soil, used bone meal and have planted over 100 quality bulbs and two (2) have made a bloom. What's up? Please help.

  • jewelbeetle
    15 years ago

    squirrels do the damage, they dont eat them, they destroy the flowers and buds, I know because I have these evil rodents on survelience video.

  • daffodilgirl
    15 years ago

    judijerpen, are they planted to closely. Many times if they are overcrowded they will not bloom.

  • stimpy926
    15 years ago

    judijerpen, even if they were planted too closely, they would bloom at least the first year. How long ago were they planted?

    Are they in sun or deciduous shade?

    Were the bulbs top size, mature and ready to bloom, or did you buy cheaper, immmature bulbs - which would mean they need time in the ground to grow to mature size. If this is the case, they'll probably bloom next year.

  • Bethany Emler
    4 years ago

    I have the same problem. Leaves, but no blooms. The bulbs are spaced 4-6 ft apart and get full morning sun on part of my house. The other bulbs are about 2 ft spaced and get all the late morning early afternoon sun. None of them bloom.

  • Alan York
    3 years ago

    If you cut of the leaves after the daffy flower they won’t produce next year

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